The Miracle of Life
by SylvieT
Summary: Post-ep story for episode 11.19 Unleashed. Nick comes home after visiting baby Maria at the hospital. Mild spoiler. My first Nick and Mandy story. I hope you enjoy.


A/N: This is my first Nick and Mandy story and I loved writing it. I had a huge smile on my face the whole time. It's fluffy, silly, happy, cute…everything I generally tend to shy away from. I loved Nick and Doc's opening scene in episode 11.19 _Unleashed_, and the case as a whole and this is what came from it.

I hope you enjoy it. Let me know in a review. I can't be the only one missing Mandy and her cheeriness, and the look on Nick's face as he held that new-born baby was just so right.

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><p>The Miracle of Life<p>

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><p>Nick slid his key into the lock, turned it and pushed the door open as quietly as he could so as not to wake Mandy. Immediately, he heard the sound of music playing quietly in the kitchen, and smiled.<p>

"Hey," Mandy greeted from the kitchen, "You're home late."

Nick tossed his keys, phone and wallet on the chest of drawers by the front door. Propping his hand against the wall he untied the laces on his work boots, toed those off before shrugging his jacket off and tossing it over the back of the couch on his way to the kitchen. He paused at the doorway and took a moment to watch his wife as she put together a salad for their breakfast.

Her hair pulled back into a messy ponytail and still wearing the remnant of sleep and her pyjamas, Mandy stood at the counter, smiling to herself as she hummed along to the tune playing on the radio. His face instinctively broke into a huge smile of contentment and pride, and he felt some of his earlier weariness dissipate.

"I'm sorry," he said, finally joining her side. "I should have called to let you know, but I didn't want to wake you."

Mandy waved his apology aside with a smile and he leaned over to buss her on the cheek.

"I swung round the hospital on my way home," he explained, reaching across her for a cherry tomato which he promptly plopped into his mouth, adding as he chewed, "I'm starving. What's for breakfast beside the nutritious salad?"

"Omelette," Mandy replied as she began breaking eggs into a bowl. "Cheese or ham?"

Nick pulled a beer out of the fridge, twisted the cap off and took a long swig before setting the bottle down on the counter. Coming up behind Mandy, he wrapped his arms round her abdomen and squeezed her to him. His chin rubbing against the top of her shoulder he watched as she beat the egg mixture.

"Can I have both?" he replied after a moment, closing his eyes and taking in a long breath of soap and sleep as his face nuzzled into her neck.

Leaning into him she smiled her reply and pushed her glasses up her nose with the back of her hand. "How's the baby doing?"

"She's good," Nick replied, pulling away and picking up his beer. He brought the bottle to his mouth and took a quick sip. "I managed to talk Nathan Culvert – her dad – into visiting her, and he did. We went together, just now."

Mandy set the fork she'd used to beat the eggs with down on the counter and turned round. "That's good," she said with a genuine warm smile.

Bottle to his mouth Nick nodded earnestly before adding cheerily, "He's called her Maria – after the baby's mother. She's perfect, Mand, already striving and so beautiful." His smile was wide, the twinkle in his eye joyful, and he raised his bottle at Mandy in a toast before bringing it back to his lips and finishing off the content. "She's going to be fine. Nathan's petrified, understandably, but…well, they'll be fine, I know it."

Mandy acknowledged his words with a smile. "You were worried, weren't you?" she asked, lifting her hand to his stubbly cheek as she reached past him to pull a skillet out of the cupboard.

Nick smiled, and nodded. "Yeah, I was. Little mite didn't get the best of starts, that's for sure."

She studied him for a moment before turning her back to light the cooker. "Did you think we could have…taken her in maybe?" she asked, her tone casual and light.

Nick thought about Mandy's words, his smile broadening. "Yeah," he said quietly, seriously, "I did – if it was possible, of course. After Robbins, I was the second person to hold her." Mandy turned back toward him and watched him intently. "Seeing her being born, like that, literally coming to life, it was…powerful." He lifted a small helpless shoulder and searched her gaze uncertainly.

"Me too," she said, a wide beautiful grin breaking across her face as she lowered her eyes to her front before lifting them back up to his face.

His heart brimming with love for her, he gave her a solemn nod of the head, and watched as she redirected her attention to the cooker. "Did I mention Doc was amazing?" he asked, his voice full of awe and admiration for the coroner's swift actions.

"Only about a million times," she laughed, glancing over her shoulder.

His shoulder lifted in an easy shrug, his eyes travelling down the length of her body and then back up to her face. She was wearing her favourite pair of fluffy slippers and yet again another pair of his favourite pyjamas. His eyes narrowed questioningly, and she shrugged her reply.

"The elastic band completely…distended on the other pair," she explained contritely, her tone on the exasperated side.

He erupted into a hearty chuckle. "It's not for much longer," he said quietly, pushing off the counter moving toward her. "Come on, let me do this," he added, taking the skillet out of her hand and putting it on the cooker. "Sit down, sweetie, I got this," he insisted when she was still hovering nearby. "Put your feet up while you can."

He threw her a cheeky grin and winked, feigning pain when she punched him lightly on the arm. He cut a dollop of butter which he melted in the skillet and poured in the egg mixture. Glancing over his shoulder, he shook his head on noticing that instead of putting her feet up as instructed she was bending down with some difficulty as she reached into the cupboard for plates.

"I spoke to Ecklie," he announced casually.

"And?" Mandy prompted eagerly, looking up and meeting his eyes with undisguised interest and anticipation.

"And he's okayed my leave of absence," he said, returning his attention to the stove.

"All four weeks?" Mandy exclaimed with surprise.

"I know. Catherine put in a word. She's been great about it, and Sara's agreed to carry out some of my duties to help Catherine out." He paused and sighed, his words trailing uncertainly. He broke into a hesitant smile, and asked, "Mand, I was wondering…what do you think of Erin if it's a girl?"

Mandy registered a look of surprise and she paused, her face pursing musingly as she repeated, "Erin. I like it, but you know, the way the baby's rodeoing in there I think it's going to be a boy."

"A boy'd be cool, but my money's on a girl," Nick said as he added cheese and ham to the omelette.

Mandy put the cutlery she was holding in her right hand on the table, brought her hand to the underside of her stomach and stroked a gentle hand over her bump. The smile already adorning her features broadened pleasurably.

"Come," she whispered excitedly, "Little Erin's awake. She must know we're talking about her."

Nick's head snapped round over his shoulder. "Erin?" he chuckled, his brow rising.

Mandy raised an easy shoulder.

Nick turned the heat down on the omelette, wiped his hands on a dish cloth and joined Mandy's side, his hand gently gliding over hers on her stomach. She lifted her top and lowered the waistband of her pyjama pants, and placed his hand directly on her taut skin, hers pressing down hard over the top of his.

"Just here," she said in a wondrous whisper.

Feeling fluttering movement under his hand Nick's face softened with a look of astonishment and a loving smile, his eyes meeting Mandy's joyfully. "I can never get used to this," he marvelled. He dropped down to his haunches and cupped his face and hands to her belly. "What if she's a boy?" he asked, smiling eyes looking up to Mandy adoringly.

She laughed, and moved her hand to the back of his head and held him to her. "Then, we can start a new name trend," she replied easily. She wriggled her nose, nodding her head toward the cooker. "I think breakfast's ready," she said.

Nick got up to his full height, and pressing a kiss to her cheek took her by the hand. "Breakfast can wait," he murmured quietly, his lips on her cheek. "Me and Erin can't."


End file.
